Continuous form envelope



Feb. 29, 1944. J. SHERMAN 2 2,342,702

CONTINUOUS FORM ENVELOPE Filed Sept. .9, 1939 //v v/v TOR. SHEBMA N, 05 C534 .sro

(/OHN 5 Y A34 THEE/IVE M HERMAN, ML LIA M C. SHERMAN 4N0 WELL/14085 5. 7012 NEE, fxECUTOR.

ATTO EY Patented Feb. 29, 1944,

CONTINUOUS FORM ENVELOPE John Quirk Sherman, deceased, late '0': Dayton.

Ohio, by Katherine M. Sherman. Willis Sherman, and Wellmore B. Turner, executors,

Dayton, Ohio Application September 9, 1939, Serial No. 294,198 1 Claim. (01. 229-49) This invention pertains to continuous form stationary, and more particularly to a strip of series-connected envelopes.

Modern commercial usage and practice re unites the use of stationery in a continuous strip form which may be fed through a typewriter or other imprinting or recording machine without the necessity of repetitious insertion of individual units. After inscription, the series-connected units are divided from the supply strip on transverse weakened lines. In the presentinstance thestationery strip comprises a succession of series-connected detachable envelopes, suitable for payroll envelopes, merchandise envelopes or correspondence envelopes. In order that the component portions of the continuous seriesconnected envelope'stripmay be accurately assembled'with succeeding longitudinally spaced transverse division lines of the respective portions in registry, such portions are provided with longitudinally spaced configurations for engagement of a positive feeding device during the collating operation. The same longitudinally spaced feeding configurations are subsequently employed to feed the envelope strip through the. writing or imprinting machine and to accurately present succeeding units in impresison receiving position in order that the inscribed matter may be received in predetermined position thereon. After inscription, the feeding areas, having therein spaced feed holes or other configurations,

are preferably, although not necessarily, trimmed from the strip and the individual envelopes separated one from another on their transverse weakened divisionlines.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of continuous series-connected de-. tachable envelopes, whereby they may not only be economically manufactured, but may be conveniently and accurately fed through writing or imprinting I apparatus and receive inscribed matter in predetermined positions thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous series-connected envelope strip of improved form and haying longitudinally spaced configurations for engagement of positive strip feeding means.

A further'object of the invention is to provide a strip of series-connected detachable envelopes having removable strip feeding areas.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strip of series-connected envelopes possessing the advantageous structural features and meritorious characteristics herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein is illustrated the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating successive stages in the mode of assembly of the strip of envelopes.

Fig. '2 is a perspective view of a completed packet. of series connected envelopes illustrating the trimming of the strip and division thereof into individual units.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

The present envelope strip assembly comprises two'continuous strips I and 2 of paped, fabric, or other sheet material of somewhat different widths. The respective strips are provided with equally spaced transverse weakened division lines 3 at like, distances. The opposite margins of the wider strip I are provided with'longitudinally spaced configurations 4 for engagement of positive strip feeding devices. The more narrow strip 2 is provided with like feeding configurations 4 along one margin only. For convenience of illustration and economy of manufacture, the feeding configurations are preferably marginally punched holes for engagement of a traveling pin type feeding device. However, they may be notches, indentations, tongues, or other formations suitable for engagement of a corresponding positive feeder. To facilitate the subsequent detachment of the marginal feeding areas, the strips are-preferably, although not necessarily,

provided with longitudinal weakened division lines 5 -5 closely adjacent to the row of spaced marginal holes or other feeding configurations.

In assembling the strips, they are superposed one upon the other, with the marginal holes or other configurations, and also the succeedin transverse weakened division lines of the respective strips, in registry. The strips are continuously attached on a longitudinal adhesive strip 6 adjacent the matching margins of the strips. They are further attached at longitudinally spaced intervals'on' transverse strips 1 coincident and extending on opposite sides of the transverse division lines 5. This affords in the continuous strip a succession of individual pockets 8 to be subsequently separated on the divisionlines 3. The transverse attachment areas 1, althrough narrow, are sufficiently wide to fixedly attach the stripat opposite sides of the transverse division lines. When the strip is subsequently divided on the lines 3 into individual envelopes, the divisionoccurs medally of such area of attachment and the margins of contiguous units remain fixedly secured. The marginal portion of the wider strip l, which projects beyond that of the lesser strip, serves as a flap 9 to be folded over the body of the envelope. Such extended flap portion 9 may be adhesively coated to enable permanent closure of the envelopes.

mainder of the strip severed on the transverse lines 3 into individual envelopes in a trim-- ming and bursting apparatus, of which several types ore available for such purpose.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of} advantage beforeenumerated as desirable,"'but which obviously is' 'susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing The strip I, and if desired, the strip 2, may

bear any desired reading matter which is printed thereon prior to assembly of the envelope strip. Such printing may be performed in the same operation by which the strips are marginally punched and Scored or otherwise weakened on longitudinal and transverse lines. payroll envelopes it is necessary to write or imprint the nanre of the recipient and the amount on individual envelopes. Likewise when used for merchandise containers, it is desirable that specific identification of the contents of the envelope be typed or marked on its face. Also for correspondence purposes, I different addresses must be inscribed on the successive envelopes.

The provision of the marginally punched feed- .ing areas enables the strip to be continuously advanced through a writing or imprinting machine and each succeeding envelope accurately presented in impression receiving position. Subsequently, the marginal feeding areasmay be removed and the strip transversely divided However, forany-of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structuralfeatures, it is to prise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modiinto individual envelopes by passing it through a bursting and trimming apparatus such as shown in Letters Patent to Sherman et al. No. 2,252,733 and Sherman No. 2,252,734.

I! the completed envelopes are not intended to receive subsequent inscriptions in a writing or imprinting machine having pin type positive feeding means, the marginally punched feeding areas are removed upon completion of the assembly and the strip of series connected completed envelopes is reversely folded into a zigzagpacket.

If the strips are initially longitudinally scored or weakened on the lines 5, the marginal portions are easily broken away as the strip progresses. If they are not initially scored, sharpened cutter discs may be employed to shear the punched margins from the strips. However, if the individual envelopes comprising the strip are to be inscribed in a writing or imprinting machine, the margins are permitted to remain, forengagement of feeding devices of such apparatus. In such event the marginal feeding areas maybe subsequently removed and the refications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claim. r

Having thus described the invention, what is A stripof series-connected detachable envelopes, including two superposed strips of material of different width superposed one on the other with one longitudinal margin of each in registry with that of the-other, a succession of longitudinally spaced configurations along the registering margins of the superposed strips and along the opposite margin of one strip projecting beyond that of the other for engagement of strip feeding means, longitudinal weakened division lines on said strips in proximate relation with the marginal areas containing the longitudinally spaced configurations, additional longitudinally spaced registering transverse weakened division 'lines in said strips, said strips being fixedly united one with the other contiguous to the longitudinal weakened division lines and at opposite sides of the transverse weakened divi-.

strip divisible on the transverse weakened division lines into a succession of individual twoply units, the plies of which are fixedly united throughout three margins thereof.

KATHERINE M. SHERMAN. WILLIAM C. SHERMAN. WELLMORE B. TURNER. Executors of the Estate of John Q. Sherman,

Deceased. 

